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My husband has been talking about getting a 22 pistol to introduce his 8 year old grandson to shooting. I'm thinking about making this a Christmas gift for my husband. Opinions, thoughts, advice on the good ones? Ready, set.....GO!

Not a semi-automatic!

IMO, you can't beat the M69. Inexpensive, bolt action, 22LR goodness.

https://www.royaltigerimports.com/index ... d=14498140" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ETA: Didn't see pistol in the title. My bad. I would go with a .22 revolver. Taurus, Ruger, etc.

Oldgringo wrote:

pbwalker wrote:IMO, you can't beat the M69. Inexpensive, bolt action, 22LR goodness.

https://www.royaltigerimports.com/index ... d=14498140" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's a pistol?

No, which is why I edited my post. But thanks for the contribution!

Revolver: I strongly suggest a double action revolver (With external hammer so it can be fired in Single Action mode) if a revolver is the style of choice. Anything from the major manufacturers will work, most have a rimfire version of at least one of their defensive lines. I am truly fond of Smith & Wesson's Model 617.

Semi-Auto: Ruger's Mark III series or the 22/45 Mark III are usually good choices. If you want something that is a little more like what Grandpa shoots then I suggest the Ruger SR-22 Pistol or the Smith & Wesson M&P 22 pistol. There are other manufacturers and as long as your sticking to a major name brand you will do well. Sig Sauer has a line that you can buy the 22 version and the full caliber conversion kit as well giving your husband a defensive carry gun and a rimfire for practice/training/Grandon (Who will enjoy moving up to the full power setup when he is more experienced).

Choosing between a Semi-Auto and a revolver can be difficult. There are pros and cons to each, but I would recommend that if your husband regularly carries or shoots that you should get something styled similar to what he already has so that the grandson can feel more like an adult, which will lead them to acting more like an adult when they are around firearms.

I bought a Smith & Wesson Model 22A mainly to teach my daughters how to shoot. It shoots very inexpensive 22LR (525 rds of Winchester for $18.99 @ Academy).

The 22A has proven to be fun to shoot, plus it has some features that I like on this type of handgun: adjustable rear sights, magazine disconnect (can't shoot unless the mag is fully seated), top rail for accessories (once he's ready for a scope). So, this gun is a plinker, but could be used as an entry level target shooting and to hunt small game with some modifications/accessories.

The downside is that is a semi-auto... and you or your husband will have to deal with or teach your grandson to clear malfunctions, loading magazines (although this model has a built-in loader on the magazine). Not that's bad, but adds a bit of complexity to the learning process.

a life long investment would be a Ruger Single Action Six Convertable (22 lr/22 mag)....or a smaller Ruger Bearcat (if you can find one). The ultimate best bang for the buck in .22 revolvers (in Single action).

mr surveyor wrote:a life long investment would be a Ruger Single Action Six Convertable (22 lr/22 mag)....or a smaller Ruger Bearcat (if you can find one). The ultimate best bang for the buck in .22 revolvers (in Single action).

Ruger Single Action Six Convertable (22 lr/22 mag) was the first pistol I bought, and still have it.
My son loves to shoot it, always wants me to bring it when we go shoot.

We bought a Heritage Roughrider on sale at Cabelas a couple of weeks ago for $129. Haven't got to shoot it yet but it has good reviews.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Shooting ... t105528780

I'm on the revolver side also...easier to teach safety, and how to load and unload. I have Ruger and Walther .22 autos that are great guns, but my all time favorite .22 handgun is the S&W Model 34 kit guns....well made, flawless function, adjustable sights and extremely accurate.

I have been teaching my 7 year old son to shoot also and from experience I can say the 22/45 and single six are too heavy for him to aim properly. I agree that a revolver is great way to teach safety, but all the revolvers I have seen are pretty heavy. I was able to teach him gun safety with the 22/45 by managing the number of rounds I put in the magazine. I have been eyeballing a ruger sr22 to resolve the weight issues, but have had other toy priorities. Take a look at the ruger before deciding it comes with ambi safety which although not ideal for experienced shooter I think its a plus for a young learner.

Thanks for all the input! Much appreciated.

I would say a .22 revolver would be the best for first time exposure to a handgun. I cut my teeth on a .22 cal Hawes Deputy Marshall, I still have it, and taught both my daughters how shoot with it. My 2 cents.

Songbird wrote:My husband has been talking about getting a 22 pistol to introduce his 8 year old grandson to shooting. I'm thinking about making this a Christmas gift for my husband. Opinions, thoughts, advice on the good ones? Ready, set.....GO!

I know I am answering a question that you did not ask, but I do not suggest a pistol to introduce an 8 year old to shooting. It is much easier and safer to teach safe gun handling and marksmanship with a single shot bolt action rifle. Don't let pride or ego interfere with what is best for the child.

Teaching a person to obey the gun safety rules is much easier with a rifle. With a pistol, it is too easy to point muzzle in an unsafe direction. With a semiautomatic a lapse in trigger discipline can result in multiple rounds being fired. There are also more mechanical manipulations to learn with a semi-automatic pistol. Keep it Simple. I recommend baby steps.

Re: the 22/45 being too heavy, checkout the 22/45 Lite. It and the SR22 are extremely light.